Applicator for cosmetic products

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a cosmetic applicator comprising: 
         a stem ( 4 );    an applicator member ( 6 ) disposed at a first end ( 5 ) of the stem;    a handle member ( 9 ) disposed at a second end ( 8 ) of the stem, said second end being situated opposite from the first end, the applicator being characterized by the fact that the stem includes a flexible portion having shape memory, and by the fact that the stem includes a bottom half that is substantially not flexible.

The present invention relates to an applicator for a cosmetic, including a care product, in particular a substance such as nail varnish, and it also relates to a packaging and applicator device including such an applicator.

Numerous applicators comprise an applicator member, in particular a bundle of bristles, fixed to the end of a stem for the purpose of applying substance on a surface of the human body, in particular the skin or keratinous fibers.

French patent applications FR-A-2 722 380 and FR-A-2 722 381 disclose applicators in which the stem presents flexibility similar to that of the applicator member, the section of the stem over a large portion of its length being smaller than the section of the remainder of the stem.

The flexibility of the stem can degrade the accuracy with which makeup is applied under certain conditions of application.

French patent application FR 2 705 876 discloses a stem carrying the applicator member and including a constricted portion which is positioned level with a flocked wiper during storage. The presence of the constriction serves to avoid the stem flattening the flocking of the wiper. That stem is not designed to deform during application.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,173,959 discloses an applicator comprising a stem having one end secured in a handle member by means of a compressible sleeve. The stem remains entirely rectilinear when its orientation relative to the handle member changes.

There exists a need for an applicator enabling makeup to be applied accurately while also being comfortable to use.

The present invention seeks specifically to satisfy this need.

This is achieved by a cosmetic applicator comprising:

a stem;

an applicator member disposed at a first end of the stem;

a handle member disposed at a second end of the stem, said second end being situated opposite to the first end,

the applicator being characterizable by the fact that the stem includes a flexible portion having shape memory, and by the fact that the stem includes a bottom half that is substantially not flexible.

The invention enables application to be more accurate while imparting flexibility to the applicator.

During application, when the stem begins to bend in a plane, essentially because of deformation of the flexible portion having shape memory, the stem has little tendency to deform away from said plane as the angle made between the two stem portions on either side of the flexible portion increases. This contributes to imparting accuracy to the applicator.

The presence of the flexible portion also makes it easier for the user to change the angle made between the applicator member and the surface on which the substance is being applied, since this change can be performed without significantly changing the orientation of the handle member.

According to an aspect of the invention, the distance measured along the axis of the stem between the middle of the flexible portion and the first end of the stem is longer than the distance between the middle of the flexible portion and the second end of the stem.

The term “having shape memory” should be understood broadly, and covers in particular the case where the flexible portion, after being deformed, returns elastically to a position which is not absolutely identical to its initial position, given the material used and the shape of the flexible portion, for example.

The stem comprises a distal portion extending from the first end and a proximal portion extending from the second end, the proximal and distal portions being connected together by the flexible portion.

The length of the proximal portion may be shorter than the length of the distal portion.

The flexible portion may deform during application so as to allow the distal portion to be substantially inclined relative to the proximal portion.

The applicator of the invention can enable substance to be applied accurately on the nail, while nevertheless being soft because of the presence of the flexible portion.

The fact that the flexible portion is closer to the second end of the stem than it is to the first can make it possible, where appropriate, for the distal portion to be made of a length that is sufficient for the flow of substance along the stem towards the applicator member to be undisturbed by the flexible portion while the applicator is being withdrawn from the receptacle containing the substance.

Such positioning of the flexible portion can also enable the distal portion of the stem to be arranged in such a manner as to channel the flow of substance towards a predefined region of the applicator member, for example by forming one or more grooves therein parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stem, which grooves may open out, halfway across the applicator member, for example.

Furthermore, the softness obtained in application by means of the invention can also be accompanied by a smaller risk of streaks being formed and by a smaller risk of disturbing equilibrium between the ingredients of the substance, which can lead to quicker drying and can make it possible, where appropriate, for the user to apply a second layer of substance without having to wait for the first layer to finish drying.

The materials constituting the distal and proximal portions and the shapes thereof may be selected in such a manner that the distal and proximal portions substantially do not deform during application.

Each of the distal and proximal portions may be substantially rectilinear during application.

The length of the distal portion may be longer than that of the proximal portion by a factor of 1.5, better 1.7, or even at least 2.

The flexible portion may be configured in such a manner that the distal portion of the stem can be inclined reversibly during application through more than 30°, better through more than 45°, or even 60°, relative to an initial position in which the distal portion and the proximal portion are substantially in alignment.

The length of the flexible portion may be shorter than the length of at least one of the distal and proximal portions. In particular, the flexible portion may extend over less than one-third of the total length of the stem, and better over less than one-fourth.

In cross-section, the flexible portion of the stem may present a major dimension lying in the range 0.2 millimeters (mm) to 1.5 mm, and in particular in the range 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm.

The flexible portion of the stem may be circularly symmetrical. In a particular embodiment, the flexible portion of the stem is hourglass-shaped.

Alternatively the flexible portion of the stem needs not be circularly symmetrical. Such a shape could make it possible to obtain stem rigidity that varies depending on the direction in which the distal portion is inclined away from its initial position while applying the substance. In particular, the flexible portion of the stem may present a cross-section that is generally elongate in shape.

The handle member may be of a shape that is not circularly symmetrical so as to encourage gripping the applicator in a predefined orientation. The handle member may include at least one finger-receiving zone, in particular a flat or an indentation extending generally substantially parallel to an axis of larger dimension of a cross-section of the flexible portion.

The flexible portion may include at least one opening, and in particular at least one opening disposed between two bridges of material interconnecting the distal and proximal portions of the stem.

A cross-section of the stem, in particular in its distal portion, may present a shape selected from the following list: circular, non-circular in particular oblong, oval, elliptical, polygonal, in particular square, rectangular, kidney-shaped, crenellated, star-shaped, with one or more grooves.

The flexible portion may be made of the same material as the remainder of the stem.

The flexible portion and at least one of the distal and proximal portions may also be made of different materials. At least one of the proximal, distal, and flexible portions of the stem may be made of a thermoplastic material, in particular one of the materials selected from the group constituted by: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), polyamine (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutaline terephthalate (PBT).

The applicator member may comprise at least one of the following elements: a bundle of bristles, a felt, a coating of flocking, a foam.

When the applicator member comprises a bundle of bristles, at least two bristles of the bundle may each have at least one periodic pattern presenting at least one undulation, at least two periodic patterns being different. The term “periodic pattern” designates a portion of the bristle which is reproduced substantially periodically along the bristle.

The bundle of bristles may include at least two bristles of different lengths, or indeed at least two bristles of different diameters.

The bristles may be made of plastics material, e.g. being made of a thermoplastic material, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer. At least one bristle may be made of natural fiber.

The bristles may present a cross-section that is solid or hollow, circular or otherwise, with cross-sections that are constant or otherwise along the bristles, e.g. passing alternatively through sections of larger diameter and sections of smaller diameter. The bristles may optionally include a coating of flocking.

The bristles may also include a filler over all their length, or over only part of their length, for example a filler comprising a magnetic compound, a humidity-absorbing compound, a compound for imparting roughness to the surface of the bristle, or a compound for improving sliding. The filler may be distributed in such a manner as to create a periodic pattern.

The bundle of bristles may be held in a housing formed at the first end of the stem, in particular the bristles may be secured by adhesive, stapling, or overmolding in said housing. The cross-section of the housing may be oblong, being elongate along a longer axis.

The housing may present a cross-section that tapers going towards its end wall, with the amount of tapering that is provided depending on the divergence that is desired for the bristles. The end wall of the housing may include a setback in which the bristles are secured and which opens out into a portion of the housing that flares towards its opening, the flared portion allowing the bristles to spread apart from one another in order to impart an enlarged shape to the bundle.

In particular, the housing may be arranged in such a manner that the bristles extend outside the housing over a distance measured parallel to the above-mentioned longer axis, that is greater than the size of the stem along said axis in the vicinity of the housing.

The applicator member may also comprise a flocked tip.

The stem and the applicator member may be made as a single piece, in particular by injection molding, or by dual injection, or indeed by overmolding.

At its second end, the stem may include a member for fastening to the handle member, for example an endpiece designed to be inserted as a force-fit and/or to be snap-fastened in the handle member. The endpiece may comprise a tubular skirt with a collar at its base.

The flexible portion may extend at least in part inside the handle member, and in particular it may extend substantially entirely inside the handle member.

The flexible portion may be sufficiently flexible to allow the stem to come into contact with an edge of the handle member when the stem is inclined. The handle member may include means for fastening it onto a receptacle, and in particular a screw thread.

In another of its aspects, the invention also provides a cosmetic applicator comprising:

a handle member that also serves as a cap for closing a receptacle;

a stem having a first end fixed to the handle member;

an applicator member fixed to a second end of the stem, opposite from the first end;

the stem including a flexible portion with shape memory enabling a distal portion of the stem to be inclined relative to the handle member, the stem being capable of coming into contact with an edge of the handle member when the stem is inclined, the flexible portion being situated for the most part and preferably entirely inside the handle member.

The invention also provides a packaging and applicator device for a substance, the device comprising an applicator as defined above and a receptacle containing the substance to be applied.

The substance may be a substance for application to the nails, in particular a nail varnish or a care product, or it may be an eyeliner or an eye shadow, or a substance for application to the lips, this list not being limiting.

The handle member of the applicator may constitute a cap for closing the receptacle.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and on examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic axial section view of a device for applying a substance to the nails;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic fragmentary axial section view showing the stem and the applicator member of the FIG. 1 device;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic fragmentary axial section view showing the applicator of the FIG. 1 device in use;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic fragmentary axial section views showing two variant embodiments of the stem;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views in perpendicular directions showing another variant embodiment of the stem;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic fragmentary axial section views showing two other variant embodiments of the stem;

FIG. 10 is a side view seen along arrow X in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-section on XI-XI of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of another variant embodiment of the applicator;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic cross-section of the FIG. 12 stem on XIII-XIII;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary cross-section of the FIG. 12 handle member on XIV-XIV;

FIG. 15 shows another variant embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a cross-section on XVI-XVI of FIG. 15;

FIGS. 17 to 23 are cross-sections of examples of stem sections at the applicator member:

FIGS. 24 to 30 are diagrams showing examples of cross-sections of bristles that can be used to make the applicator member; and

FIG. 31 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary longitudinal section view showing a variant embodiment of the applicator member.

FIG. 1 shows a packaging and applicator device 1 comprising a receptacle 2 containing a substance P for application, e.g. a nail varnish, and an applicator 3 comprising a stem 4 extended at a first end 5 by an applicator member 6 and engaged at a second end 8 in a handle member 9 which, in the example described, also constitutes a cap for closing the receptacle 2.

The stem 4 of the applicator 3 is shown on its own in FIG. 2.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the stem 4 comprises a flexible portion 11 having shape memory, interconnecting a distal portion 12 which extends between the first end 5 and the flexible portion 11, and a proximal portion 13 which extends between the second end 8 and the flexible portion 11.

The distance d₁ measured between the middle M of the flexible portion and the first end 5 is longer than the distance d₂ measured between said middle point M and the second end 8.

By way of example, the ratio d₁/d₂ is greater than 1.1, in particular is at least 1.2 or 1.5, or even 2, for example.

The stem 4 can be fastened in the handle member 9 in various ways.

In the example of FIG. 1, the proximal portion 13 includes an endpiece comprising a cylindrical skirt 15 provided at its base with a collar 16, which collar snaps into corresponding relief in the inside surface of the handle member 9, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 1. The collar 16 may also serve to obtain leaktight closure of the receptacle 2.

The proximal portion 13 also includes a tapering portion 17 that tapers towards the flexible portion 11 in this example.

Naturally, the stem 4 could be fastened in some other way to the handle member 9, in particular it could be made integrally therewith or it could be secured thereto by adhesive, by heat-sealing, as a force-fit, or by means of a fastener element fitted to the handle member and/or to the stem.

The inside of the handle member 9 may be provided with a thread 18 enabling it to be screwed onto a threaded neck of the receptacle 2.

In the example described, the applicator member 6 is constituted by a bundle of bristles received at one end in a housing 19 of the distal portion 12. The bundle of bristles may, in particular, be fixed in said housing 19 by means of a staple or by any other appropriate means, in particular by adhesive, or heat-sealing, or stamping into the stem.

In the example of FIG. 2, the flexible portion 11 presents a cross-section that is circular, and it is made as a single piece with the remainder of the stem 4 by molding a plastic material.

Naturally, and as described below, the flexible portion 11 can be made to have a cross-section that is not circularly symmetrical, and, where appropriate, it can also be made out of a material which is different from that of the proximal and distal portions.

By way of example, the stem 4 can be made out of a thermoplastic material such as polyolefin, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene, or of some other plastics materials such as, for example, POM, PA, PET, or PBT.

When in use, the flexible portion 11 can deform so that the distal portion 12 is inclined relative to the proximal portion 13, as shown in FIG. 3. This can make it possible to obtain application that is more gentle.

It may be observed on examining FIG. 3 that the distal portion 12 conserves a shape that is substantially rectilinear during application, and so does the proximal portion 13.

While in use, the angle α between the longitudinal axis X of the proximal portion 13 and the longitudinal axis Y of the distal portion 12 can reach an angle of 30° or even more, for example, relative to an initial position in which the angle α is substantially zero and the axes X and Y substantially coincide.

When the user ceases to apply the applicator member 6 onto the surface to be treated, the flexible portion 11 tends, because of its shape memory, to return the distal portion 12 substantially into alignment with the proximal portion 13, with the axes X and Y substantially coinciding once the applicator has been put back into the receptacle 2, in the example under consideration.

Naturally, it would not go beyond the ambit of the present invention when at least one of the proximal portion and the distal portion extends along a longitudinal axis that is not rectilinear or the angle α is not zero when the applicator is in place in the receptacle.

The flexible portion 11 and the proximal and distal portions 13 and 12 can be made with still other shapes without thereby going beyond the ambit of the present invention.

By way of example, FIG. 4 shows a stem 4 in which the flexible portion 11 is generally hourglass-shaped.

The flexible portion 11 may be symmetrical in shape about a transverse plane passing through its middle M, as is the case for the example of FIG. 4, however it would not go beyond the ambit of the present invention when that is not the case, in particular when the flexible portion 11 does not present any symmetry about any plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stem 4.

The length of the flexible portion 11 may be greater or smaller. The stem 4 shown in FIG. 5 thus has a flexible portion 11 which length is greater than in the example of FIG. 4.

In addition, in the example of FIG. 5, the flexible portion 11 is made of a material other than the material from which the distal and proximal portions 12 and 13 are made.

By way of example, the flexible portion 11 can be made by dual injection of material together with the distal and proximal portions 12 and 13.

In particular, the flexible portion 11 can be made out of an elastomer material while the distal and proximal portions 12 and 13 are made of a relatively rigid, non-elastomer plastics material.

The flexible portion 11 may be made to have a cross-section that is not circularly symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the stem, and in particular it may have a cross-section that is flattened as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Such a cross-section causes the stem to be more deformable in a first plane than it is in a second plane perpendicular to the first, the first plane coinciding with the section plane of FIG. 7 in this example.

In particular, the stem 4 may present a cross-section in a section plane passing through the middle M that is substantially rectangular in shape, the stem being capable of deforming in preferred manner in a plane perpendicular to the long side of the rectangle.

The distal portion 12 may be made with at least one groove 20 in its outside surface, the groove being in the form of longitudinal fluting extending parallel to the longitudinal axis Y of the distal portion 12, for example. Such a groove 20 can serve, for example, to channel the substance flowing under gravity along the stem towards the applicator member 6 after the applicator has been withdrawn from the receptacle, towards predefined zones of the applicator member 6.

In the example of FIG. 8, the flexible portion 11 presents a cross-section that is circularly symmetrical, but as mentioned above, the flexible portion may also be made to have a cross-section that is not circularly symmetrical, as is also the case for the example of FIGS. 9 and 10.

In FIG. 9, it can be seen that the groove 20 may be extended over the proximal portion 13.

The housing 19 receiving the bundle of bristles may be of a shape that is not circularly symmetrical about the axis Y of the distal portion 12, as shown in FIG. 11. The groove 20 may be arranged to bring the substance substantially to the middle of the long side of the housing 19, as shown in FIG. 11.

This figure also shows that the stem 4 can have two grooves 20, one opposite the other.

Specifically when the flexible portion 11 is made to have a cross-section that is not circularly symmetrical, thus giving the stem 4 at least one preferred direction of deformation, the handle member may be made with a shape that leads the user to take hold of it in a predetermined manner, associated with the orientation of the cross-section of the flexible portion 11.

By way of example, the handle member may have recesses 26 or flats on two opposite sides serving to receive the fingers of the user, as shown in FIG. 12.

By comparing FIGS. 13 and 14 it can be seen that the flexible portion 11 and the handle member can present shapes that are generally flat in a common plane R, the stem 4 deforming in preferred manner in a plane perpendicular to the plane R.

The flexible portion 11 can be made with at least one opening as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. In this embodiment, the flexible portion 11 comprises three bridges of material 28 interconnecting the distal and proximal portions 12 and 13, the bridges extending parallel to one another and lying in a common plane Q containing the longitudinal axis of the stem 4, and also constituting a plane of symmetry for the stem, in the example shown.

The bridges of material 28 enable the stem 4 to bend more easily about an axis geometric parallel to the plane Q than about an axis perpendicular thereto.

The bridges of material 28 may be made of the same material as the distal and proximal portions 12 and 13, or out of a different material.

The distal portion 12 may be made with a variety of cross-sections in the housing 19 that is to receive the bundle of bristles 6.

FIGS. 17 to 23 show various examples of cross-sections, amongt others.

The cross-section may in particular be circular as shown in FIG. 17, oblong as shown in FIG. 18, in particular oval or elliptical, polygonal as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, in particular square or rectangular, kidney-shaped as shown in FIG. 21, star-shaped as shown in FIG. 22, or crenellated as shown in FIG. 23.

The bristles on the bundle 6 may be of a very wide variety of kinds, and in particular it is possible to use bristles presenting any one of the cross-sections shown in FIGS. 24 to 30, for example a solid cross-section of circular outline as shown in FIG. 24, a hollow cross-section, e.g. of circular outline, as shown in FIG. 25, a cross-section that is polygonal, e.g. square, as shown in FIG. 26, triangular as shown in FIG. 27, or rectangular as shown in FIG. 28, or indeed a cross-section that is oblong, e.g. of elliptical outline as shown in FIG. 29. The bristles may also include at least one capillary groove, as shown in FIG. 30.

The bundle 6 may comprise a mixture of bristles, as mentioned above.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to an applicator member constituted by a bundle of bristles, for example, the applicator member may be constituted by a flocked tip, as shown in FIG. 31. By way of example, this flocked tip may be for applying substance onto skin, mucous membranes, nails, or hair.

It is also possible for the applicator member 6 to be constituted by any other conventional applicator member, such as, for example: a foam, a brush, a felt, a capillarity applicator, possibly made integrally with the distal portion 12 or else fitted thereto, depending on the nature of the substance and on the surface to be treated.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and in particular it is possible to combine the characteristics of the various embodiments with one another.

Preferably, the stem is made having a single flexible portion. Nevertheless, without going beyond the ambit of the present invention, the stem could also be made with more than one flexible portion. In particular, the stem could include at least two flexible portions situated at different positions along its length and interconnected by a portion that is substantially not flexible.

Throughout the description, including in the claims, the term “comprising a” should be understood as being synonymous with “comprising at least one” unless specified to the contrary. 

1. A cosmetic applicator comprising: a stem (4); an applicator member (6) disposed to a first end (5) of the stem; a handle member (9) disposed at a second end (8) of the stem, said second end being situated opposite from the first end, the applicator being characterized by the fact that the stem includes a flexible portion (11) having shape memory, and by the fact that the stem includes a bottom half that is substantially not flexible.
 2. An applicator according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the stem comprises a distal portion (12) extending from the first end (5), and a proximal portion (13) extending from the second end (8), the length of the proximal portion being shorter than the length of the distal portion, the distal and proximal portions being interconnected by the flexible portion (11).
 3. An applicator according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the length of the distal portion is longer than the length of the proximal portion by a factor of 1.5, better 1.7, better still at least
 2. 4. An applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that each of the distal and proximal portions is substantially rectilinear during application.
 5. An applicator according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion is configured in such a manner that the distal portion of the stem can be reversibly tilted during application through an angle of more than 30°, better more than 45°, or even 60°, relative to an initial position in which the distal portion and the proximal portion are substantially in alignment.
 6. An applicator according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by the fact that the length of the flexible portion (11) is shorter than the length of at least one of the distal (12) and proximal (13) portions.
 7. An applicator according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion (11) extends over less than one-third of the total length of the stem, and better over less than one-fourth.
 8. An applicator according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that, in cross-section, the flexible portion (11) of the stem presents a largest dimension lying in the range 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, and in particular in the range 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm.
 9. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion (11) of the stem is circularly symmetrical.
 10. An applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion of the stem is not circularly symmetrical.
 11. An applicator according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion (11) of the stem presents a cross-section that is generally elongate in shape.
 12. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the handle member (9) is not circularly symmetrical in shape, encouraging the applicator to be held with a predefined orientation.
 13. An applicator according to the two preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the handle member includes at least one finger-receiving zone (26), in particular a flat or an indentation, which extends substantially parallel to a major axis of a cross-section of the flexible portion.
 14. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion (11) includes at least one opening, in particular at least one opening disposed between two bridges of material (28) interconnecting the distal and proximal portions of the stem.
 15. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that a cross-section of the stem, in particular of its distal portion, presents a shape selected from the following list: circular, non-circular in particular oblong, oval, elliptical, polygonal, in particular square, rectangular, kidney-shaped, crenellated, star-shaped, with one or more grooves.
 16. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion and at least one of the distal and proximal portions are made out of different materials.
 17. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that at least one of the proximal, distal, and flexible portions of the stem is made out of a thermoplastic material, in particular out of one of the materials selected from the group constituted by: PE, PP, POM, PA, PET, PBT.
 18. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the applicator member comprises at least one of the following elements: a bundle of bristles, a felt, a coating of flocking, a foam.
 19. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the applicator member (6) comprises a bundle of bristles.
 20. An applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized by the fact that the applicator member comprises a flocked tip.
 21. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the stem includes at its second end a fastener member on the handle member.
 22. An applicator according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the fastener member comprises an endpiece (15, 16) for being inserted by force-fit and/or by snap-fastening in the handle member.
 23. An applicator according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the endpiece comprises a tubular skirt (15) with a collar (16) at its base.
 24. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the handle member includes means for fastening on a receptacle, in particular a thread.
 25. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion extends at least in part inside the handle member.
 26. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the flexible portion extends substantially entirely inside the handle member.
 27. An applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the flexible stem is sufficiently flexible to enable the stem to come into contact with an edge of the handle member when the stem is inclined.
 28. A device for packaging and applying a substance, the device being characterized by the fact that it comprises an applicator (3) according to any one of the preceding claims and a receptacle (2) for containing the substance for application.
 29. A device according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the substance is for application to the nails, in particular a nail varnish or a care product for the nails.
 30. A device according to claim 28, characterized by the fact that the substance is an eyeliner, an eye shadow, or a substance for application to the lips.
 31. A device according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the handle member (9) of the applicator (3) constitutes a cap for closing the receptacle. 